Through Neva's Eyes
by Maeve Devan
Summary: This is a story about Gwenivere and how she and her best friends stuggle with their new found powers. Her past comes back to haunt her. Poor Gwen all she wants is just to be a normal teenager.
1. Through Neva's Eyes

Through Neva's Eyes

            My hand grasped tightly that of my little sister's as we hurtled deeper into the woods.  Stumbling over twigs and rocks, we dashed into a clearing as fast as our three and two years old legs could carry us.  I could hear them behind us they were getting closer.  In a frantic search for a hiding place, I pulled my sister into a thorn bush near the edge of the clearing.  They were almost on top of us, so I struggled deeper into the bush.  Thorns cutting into my flesh, I held me breath as two people entered the clearing.  One, a woman with long flowing red hair.  She was beautiful even as the leaves stuck to knots in places.  The other a man muscular with blue eyes and curly brown disheveled locks of hair.  Mom and Dad, I made to leave the bush and go to them when I saw more movement coming toward our hiding place.  Into the clearing came two men, one was hairy and had teeth that looked like the belonged on a puma, he had furs draped over his broad shoulders and his blond hair and whiskers looked as if they hadn't been combed in years, his feral eyes sweeping the clearing finally resting on my parents.  I held my sister closer and silently begged her to remain still and quite as the second man entered the clearing.  His cold blue eyes a stark contrast with his flowing scarlet cape and matching helmet.  His voice velvet as he spoke to our father, "Now, Jeff, why did you have to go and do that?  Hmm?  It truly disappoints me…" those eyes made of the coldest blue sapphires once more traveled the length of the glen.  "Where are the girls, Gale?"  Then mom spit at him, "You'll have to kill me first Magneto!"  "Now, now" he answered coyly, "Haven't we been through this already.  Call me Eric; after all, I am your brother in law.  Bring me the girls; they won't be hurt they have done nothing wrong.  You two are the ones who crossed the line and shall pay the price."  "Please, Eric we just want to leave in peace."  Father spoke "If you are truly my brother you will respect that."  "I'm sorry, but that just isn't acceptable, and if you won't tell me where my nieces are I'll just have to find them myself" he spoke as he raised his hand and sent all sorts of metal scraps cascading toward my parents.  If I weren't crying I would have wondered where it all came from, but sure enough there it was from screws to tire hubs.  Mother brought up her hand and the winds blew with the strength of a hurricane whipping up so much dirt we only saw the cat man pounce before all was blanked out by a curtain of dust.  It took almost all I had to keep myself and my sister from coughing or sneezing.  Out of nowhere I felt a sharp pain pierce my arm.  As I reached to grab my sister better more shards ricocheted through the bush.  A whole storm of metal hit her before she even had a chance to scream in pain…screaming I awoke in my bed to find a scorching heat pressing in on me.  It was no more then a moth later in the orphanage.  My sister had been sent to the hospital when I dragged her out of the woods with me.  I haven't seen her since.  The flames had almost engulfed my bedroom, as I just barely made it out the window.  I fell all three stories to the ground and felt the shattering pain in my leg when I made impact.  My leg was broken.  The fire men where unable to get the fire under control that night, the orphanages burnt down.  Two close calls in less then a year…orphaned and sister less I was sent to a new house to live in.  It wasn't so bad that's where I met my best friend, Rina, and was adopted about a year ago a new older sister came with the deal.  I'm now fifteen. 


	2. It Begins

Chapter Two: It Starts 

            "I can't wait to see Rina again!"  I beamed as my new parents brought me back to the foster home to visit all my friends.  Rina or Katrina as my mom calls her has been my best friend for as long as I can remember.  The strange thing is we are total opposites!  I have dark curly brown hair and blue eyes, I'm into poetry, art, and get straight A's in school.  Oh and did I mention I'm head cheerleader?  Anyway, I guess you could say I'm the popular type, that doesn't mean I'm stuck up or anything….I just have a tendency to make friends fast.  Rina however, well, let's just say her nickname is "Tomboy with a 'Tude".  She has flaming red hair freckles and is REALLY athletic.  I swear she could do anything that she wanted to.  Unfortunately she's very putt offish.  Is that a word?  Oh well, she DOESN'T make friends too easily.  Oops, sorry got lost there, anyways.  I bounded up the stairs three at a time to Rina's bedroom.  As I reached the top step I could hear something.  "No!  Stop!.."  Rina?"  I ran into Rina's room to find her in the middle of a nightmare.  "Mommy!  Daddy!"  Rina, Rina wake up!" I shook Rina with all my might trying to shake the slumber out of her.  Finally her eyes opened. "Rina, Are you ok? You were screaming like a banshee!  You must have been having a horrible nightmare." She nodded her head in reply, groggily rubbing her eyes she asked, "Hey, what are you doing here anyways?" 

            "My new mom and dad..I LOVE those words..sorry. They brought me here to visit my friends!  I was so excited I forgot you sleep until like noon.  But isn't this much better then talking over the phone! Sooo, what's been going on in your world?"

She glared slightly as she said, "You tell me you lived here for 11 years. What do you think?"

I chuckled at her remark and glare. "Don't worry Red, Well get you out of here soon." I should probably mention she just hates being called Red or freckles or anything along those lines.  I just love pushing her buttons.

"Why would I want to get out of here?" she retorted, "I have a reputation here. I may not get along too well with the girls, but I get along fine with the boys next door."

At this I just could not keep a smile off my face. "Of course you get along fine with them.  You could probably lick anyone of them in a fight, and everyone knows that's how guys get along."

            "Well, excuse me Gwen but I have to get dressed.  I'm playing basketball with the guys today."

I shook my head, "Typical. I'll see you down there ok?" Without waiting for a reply I left and when downstairs again to talk to Jade.  Jade is the woman who runs my old foster home.  She is possibly the nicest person in the world, except for my new mom.  When I got to the end of the stairs I gave her a huge hug.  She defiantly deserves it too for all the stuff she does for the girls who live with her.  We were about to start up a conversation when two people entered the room. I almost fell over in shock.  It was Mr. and Mrs. McGrath.  They were good friends of my new parents.  I couldn't believe it! Maybe they were here to adopt somebody.  I had heard them talking to my parent s about it before.  Mr. McGrath didn't like little kids, but Mrs. McGrath kept saying she would be happy with any kid.  Maybe they would adopt Rina.  I just couldn't hold in my excitement I bounded back up the stairs to find Rina about to leave her room.  She was wearing her red and yellow basketball uniform but her beautiful hair was all over the place.  I frowned and grabbed her arm. "You are not going out in public like that are you?"

            "Yeah, you suddenly got a problem with my jersey?" she seemed insulted and I winced a little.  I didn't want to tell her about the McGraths because then I would have to hear about how she didn't need parents, when I know that all she really wants is someone to love her.  Well, better role with it...

            "I wasn't talking about your jersey.  I was talking about your hair.  You have such pretty hair, if you would only do something with it." At that point a dragged her back into her room and heard her mutter something about. "Only a cheerleader..."

I sat her down and gave her my solemn promise to make it beautiful.  She seems to find something amusing in that also.  Then I pulled out the brush and started getting all the tangles out of her hair.  The whole time I was working I had to listen to things like, "Ouch... That's attached to my head! ... OW!"  "Oh stop being a baby," I replied "Besides I'm done." I held up the mirror for her to see.  I had done her hair up in a beautiful French braid and the light reflected off her now shiny hair.  She looked like she was about to scream.  As she tore her fingers through her hair ruining the braid she told me to, "NEVER DO THAT TO HER AGAIN!" Sigh it was soo pretty.  Anyways, after numerous arguments we made comprises on a ponytail. Sporty yet pretty.  After the hair crisis we headed downstairs to go out to the courts.  I waived to mom and dad as we passed and noticed the McGrath's weren't here anymore, but nether was Jade so, there was still hope.

            When we finally made it to the hoops a boy who looked about a year or two older then me approached.  "Hey Rina, who's your friend?" He asked seeming defiantly less then thrilled.  If it wasn't for the cold greeting I might have found him cute.  He had short closs cropped brown hair and brown eyes.  He was defiantly, by the look of him, one of those people who spent their lives on the court.

"Hey guys! This is Gwen." Rina said.  However from the looks on the guys faces I could tell they were thinking, *not another girl*, so I quickly interjected that I would just watch.

After a while of basketball I noticed Connor, he runs the boys house, come out onto the porch with Mr. and Mrs. McGrath behind him.  Oooo mann it looks liked they decided to adopt a guy instead.  Then I heard Connor say something and a smile crossed my face. "Randy, Rina will you two come here?"  The boy who had first said hi stopped playing and jogged over with Rina in toe.  Yes, I could just tell by the smiles on the McGrath's faces that Rina had finally found a new home.  That's when all of a sudden Rina started backing away.  I took one step forward to see her turn and run. "Rina!," Jade called after her.  She didn't seem to hear her at all.  She just ran, and I was not joking when I said she was athletic.  I had to sprint to keep up with her.  About half the distance from her I noticed that Randy was also panting along. Unfortunately even with our combined speed Rina lost us shortly.  Panting I had to slow to a power walk to look for her. "Why would she run?" Randy asked.   He seemed just as confused as I was.   For those were the exact thoughts that had been running through my head.  Then it struck me, fear, the fear of change.  Even though Rina would never fess up to it I could almost guarantee that was what made her run.  I had felt the same way when the Stillianos' had first adopted me.  I was leaving all my friends behind and everything I knew to start a new life with a new family.  It was everything I had wanted yet at the same time it was what I feared more then anything.  Only someone who had been living at Jade's for as long as we had could possibly understand how much that place had become home to us.  Ten minutes later, I heard something around the corner. "Why me?"  "Rina?" I voiced. As Randy and I turned down into the alleyway he spoke, "I thought I heard someone back here."  Rina looked horrible her knees were drawn up to her chest and her eyes had an almost haunted look.  Then in the next moment she looked like she was about to run again.  "Don't scare me like that!" She yelled at us.  "Whoa, calm down girl." I replied, "How are you doing?" I wouldn't admit to her but she was the one at that moment who was scaring me.  It just wasn't like Rina to run away.  In all the time I knew her she had always faced every obstacle head on. Once again though she was back to steel tough Rina. "How does it look like I'm doing?" she scoffed.

"Sheesh! Don't be such a grump!" said Randy, "Why'd you run like that?"

"You want the honest truth, I don't know. I'm just confused I guess."

"About Mr. and Mrs. McGrath?"

"Yeah. I mean, this is what I've been wishing for eleven years, and now that it's coming true, I don't know if it really is what I want."

 That's when I lifted Rina's chin to look into my eyes and said, "Rina, I was the same way.  I didn't know what to think when I met the Stillianos.  But then I decided to go for it, and look how well everything worked out. I mean sure, Ellen's (she is my annoying older sister) there, but hey, you can't have everything. Trust me. I know Mr. and Mrs. McGrath."  
" Oh Great I bet they said they don't want me anymore!" She seemed bitter. Randy shook his head with enthusiasm. "No way! They still want to adopt **both of us. And take it from Gwen and me," he gestured toward me hoping he got my name right, "We both know what it's like to have parents. I had them up until about five years ago when they died in a car crash, there's nothing in the world better than parents."**

"Will you please think it over Rina?" I interjected, "We've been best buds for as long as I can remember and I just don't want to see you make a mistake you'll regret later.  I just want to see you happy.  Also when you do make your decision I don't want you to do it for me or Randy.  Do what ever will make you the happiest. Promise?" Rina nodded in reply. " I'll talk to you later." And with that I left.  I really felt that Rina needed some time to think it over alone so I took Randy with me.  He really didn't seem like he wanted to leave.  After a while we started talking to one another while we walked.  He told me about his old parents and how much he missed them. "Yeah I know what you mean.  But at least you got a chance to know them better."  I accidentally let slip.  "What do you mean?" he asked "What ever happened to your parents?" I felt like I was about to cry and hastily brushed away the question by answering "They died when I was three.  I've been in foster care since."  " Oo man I'm sooo sorry," He answered then started to ask, "So what happened to them?"  That's when I heard, "Wow, that was a truly touching speech back there." a sarcastic voice sounded. As much as I was glad to have the interruption, the last thing I wanted was trouble.  I turned around and noticed a grotesque figure wipe a fake tear from his eye. As I glared I noticed he was possibly the most repulsive person I had ever seen.   He was all hunched over and looked like he hadn't bathed in years.  His greasy skin was a sick pail color twinged with green.  His smell then protruded my nostrils like a hostile invasion.  A mix of too many colognes and body odor. It smelled worse then milk left in the sun to curdle.  Randy stepped forward, much to my surprise. "What do you want freak boy?!"  "Randy, really he isn't worth our time." I replied putting a hand on his arm.  You know the one that had unconsciously had a fist attached to it.  " Yeah easy Killer." That, ehem, replied, "I was just trying to make some conversation."  "Leave." I said in a cold voice, "I have no interest in talking to the likes of you." 

"What you saying chicky?  You implying that I'm below you or something?"

That's when Randy swung with his free arm.  "WHOA!" the stranger managed to duck in just barely.  "I'm outta here!" and much to my surprise our slimy friend hopped off and we lost sight of him. 

"Weird" muttered Randy.  "Yeah just slightly freaky," I replied, "But you shouldn't have done that Randy."  I scolded, yes scolded.  He just shrugged and said it was the same he would have done for any friend.  At that I smiled and we continued on our way the parent issue completely forgotten.  As I walked back to mom and dad I gave the McGraths a thumb up, and told them that Rina was thinking about it.  Sure enough Randy and Rina had their bags packed by that night, and left with the McGraphs early the next morning.         She settled in right next door with Randy, Mr. and Mrs. McGrath, Carly (who is my age), and Anna (who is 3 years younger than me).  Rina also went to Juniper High with me.  Granted we were in different social groups but it was still nice to see her so often.  Rina and Randy had joined to varsity basketball team so we all had pep talks in the office before every game.  After two years of _almost perfect harmony, fate decided to play another cruel trick on us._


	3. Fire and Tinder

Fire and Tinder

            I remember I was in the middle of reading Reign of Dragons when it happened.  Okay, I will admit that sometimes I like to pretend I'm reading to an audience and this happened to be one of those times.  "Then, Sorista, in all her glorious fury, breathed her billowing heat down on the already scorched earth, joining it with that of her brethren…"  I paused. Sniffing the air something sulfuric besieged my senses.  Fire?  Was that fire or was my imagination running away with me.  As I took another long inhale I discovered that the sent of a lit match still lingered in the air.  Upward from the chair I came and in one sweeping motion ventured a glance out the window.  What I saw shocked me.  Yes, it was fire I smelled, Rina's house was on fire!  I rushed to the phone and dialed 911.  The woman on the other end kept telling me things "like stay calm miss", "you need to slow down".  I took a deep breath and tried to calm down but how would you react if the house next door went up in flames.  She insisted that I stay on the phone with her till the firemen arrived.  When they had finally gotten there the house looked like a pillar of fire.  I scrambled down the stairs to join the McGrath's on their front yard.  As I got there I noticed Rina twist free from a fireman's grasp a run back into the building.  As soon as she entered ignoring all my pleas and the screams of all her family the flames roared even higher covering the doorway.  The searing heat seemed to be melting my skin even at a good distance.  I was shaking, "Rina, no, No RINA!  RINA!"  I tried to scream over the roar of the flames.  The tears flowing freely felt as ice against my skin, soothing the heat and adding to the sense of helplessness that was overcoming me.  For what felt like an eternity I stood there with Randy and everyone, I was even too torn up to notice Anna was missing from the group, I just cried staring in to the flames.  That's when I felt it; it was as if knowing I lost my best friend had turned my body to ice so completely that not even the heat from the spiraling flames could warm me.  I felt as if the tears were freezing as thy hit my cheeks.  All of a sudden like an angel emerging from the clouds Rina strode from the house.  The flames caressed her crimson hair and light her features with an unearthly glow.  Her arms curved gently around Anna, supporting her unconscious sister close to her breast.  The flames themselves seemed to echo and waver at her very presence.  They embraced her but at the same time she was untouched by their liquid heat.  Flowing to make way for Rina and Anna as they emerged from the house in which a beam promptly fell across the now vacant doorway.  The news reporters at the scene were the first up to them, practically ramming their mikes down Rina's throat.  That's when I heard her "EVERYBODY COOL IT!"  I couldn't help smiling through my tears, just knowing she was okay I felt the cold ebbing and once more the tears flowing.  After she had seen to Anna's care Rina made her way through the crowd once more.  "Pardon me.  Excuse me.  Will you get out of my way?"  When she reached us I opened my mouth to say something but choked.  Instead I settled for hugging her with all the tenderness I could muster.  As I held her in my arms, eyes like faucets I felt the weight of all The McGrath's (obviously except Anna) joining me.  _She's okay, I thought, __everything is really alright…_


	4. An Uneasy Spotlight

            Once, all the drama was over we got down to who was staying where.  Well, Most of the McGrath's stayed at our house.  Not that I minded or anything but since Randy was a guy he got Ellen's room all to himself.  While me, Rina, and Ellen all had to squeeze in my room.  Well, let's just say it was interesting, we were up talking until…until…well I'm not sure I kind of fell asleep.  I wasn't up until my alarm went off.  I love my alarm it's a rooster that crows for the alarm!  Ahem anyways Rina woke up screaming.  Sigh, that's something I won't ever forget she does that every single night.

"C'mon Rina!  Can't you just once wake up without screaming your head off?"  
"  What the heck is that?"  
"  My alarm clock.  Like it?"  
"  Gwen, only you."

"What?"

At this she just sighed and shook her head.  Then I rolled over, shoving Ellen off the bed we were sharing, and picked turned it off.  Now, it is normally havoc in the morning trying to get me and my sister out of the house.  Well, there was that plus Rina and Randy, plus Mr. and Mrs. McGrath, plus my parents, and well you can imagine.  So anyways when we were finally down I heard the bus.

            "Oh no…."  Ellen trailed off.  With that we all bolted for the door.  The Mrs. McGrath and my mom were sitting with some strange people in the living room.  All I remember about them is there was a woman with completely white hair.  Mom called out something to me but we were in so much of a hurry all I managed was a "Bus, Bye!"  For some reason Rina seemed really nervous on the bus ride.  I didn't understand why until we got to homeroom.  That's when Ms. Shannon passed around the paper.  I mean WOW get this.  The title was "Girl Hero Saves Sister from Fire" and right next to it was a picture of Rina.  It was soooo cool.  They even read the article over the announcements.  On the way to biology I pulled Rina aside to talk to her.

"Rina, can you believe it!  I mean front page!  Not that what you did didn't deserve it.  Oh, and by the way _never scare me like that again."_

            "I don't see what the big deal is."  She said.

            "You don't see what the big deal is.  You saved her life! "

            "Anyone would have done the same."

            "No, Rina, not many people would have gone back into a building that was so badly on fire.  Even for their little sister.  Most would have listened, tearfully, to the firemen."

            That when the speaker rang out, "All students please report to the auditorium for an assembly."

  Well, it turned out that assembly was all about the fire and what Rina did.  They even threw in a lesson on fire safety.  They also made sure to highlight the point that even though what Rina did was heroic it was not proper fire safety.  After the assembly I saw Rina bolt.  I figured she was embarrassed.  I don't really see why she should have been, but this is Rina.  I just shrugged my shoulder I had to go to my locker before gym anyways.  


	5. Heart To Heart

            I struggled trying to get the door open.  "RINA!  RINA, ANSWER ME!"

I was beginning to panic.  What the hell was going on in there!  I felt the ground shake once more with a tremor.  That's when I thought I heard her speak.  "Come one I'm out Gwen.  You can leave" It didn't sound like she was yelling but like she was inside my head.  At that point I could hear somebody start to shift the beam in front of the door.  Uh oh, I don't know who that is but I wasn't about to stay and find out.  I Ran as fast as I could out of the school.  I was the last one out, and saw Rina waiting for me.  I ran up and blurted out the question plaguing my mind.

"Rina?  How did you do that?"  
  
"  What the earthquakes?  I didn't do that!"  
  
"  No, I mean you spoke in my head.  How?"  
  
"  I did?"  
  
"  Yes, you did.  You said 'Come on, Gwen.  I'm out.  You can leave now.'"  
            At this Rina looked really confused.  Her eyes went all buggies and she just shook her shoulders.  Weird.  I glanced over by the gym as we left for home and notice somebody pulling a rather big head back in the window.  _What's happening to me…..?  I thought.  That was when Rina looked at me funny.  Wait she hadn't heard that had she.  Well, let's just say the rest of the walk home was in an award silence._

            When we got home Rina was the first to break the silence.

"Gwen, what's going on?"

"Wh What do you mean?"  I stumbled out.

"You know what I mean.  Weird things have been happening.  To both of us" she added softer. 

"So why don't you tell me what has happened to you and we'll work it out together.  Wait don't tell me.  Think it.  I want to check something."  Rina said excitedly.  Well, What the HECK!  I tried it._  Let's see.  First, on my way to school the other day I slipped and fell on some…._

_Gwen!  I heard you!  I think I've figured out part of this!  Gwen!  We've got a telepathic link!  But I didn't think there was any such thing!_  Rina interrupted my thought pattern. 

_            Neither did I_, I thought back, _As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I slipped and fell on some ice on the way to school a few days ago.  It was really weird.  I was running to the bus stop, when all of a sudden, there was an icy patch in front of me.  I couldn't stop, and I just fell_

_But it's in the middle of June!  How could you have fallen on ice?  Are you sure it wasn't loose pebbles or something?_  
_YES I'm sure!_  I replied a little too waspishly_.  It was ice.  I think I would know after all I did fall on it.  Besides how about how you were able to be in your burning house for TEN minutes with out being burned?_

_I thought it was luck, but I'm beginning to doubt it.  I mean, what with what happened in the gym and all.  
What did happen in the gym, Rina?  
Well.  It's a long story.  
Rina, if you don't tell me, we can't figure this out.  
Okay.  here goes.  
_  
All of a sudden I was seeing what happened in the gym in vivid detail.  I saw a group of people, but it was all too fast I couldn't focus on what they looked like individually.  It was like watching a drama through Rina's eyes.  They wanted something from her.  She had used the gymnastic equipment to get away….Well, that explained my thought earlier….It ended with her climbing out the window.  A large kid (the fattest of the bunch) had tried to climb out after her and gotten stuck.  That's when Rina stuck a business card in his teeth….her personal trainer.  After it ended I was speechless for a while.

_Wow!  Do you have any idea who those guys were?  
  
Not a clue.  
  
Any idea what they wanted?  
  
Come on, Gwen!  How should I know who they were or what they wanted?  Did you honestly expect me to stick around long enough to find out?  
  
Okay, okay, Rina!  Chill!  I was just asking!  Relax.  Now let's take a deep breath,_ and we both inhaled slowly until our lungs couldn't hold any more air, and let it out gradually.  We did the same thing a few more times, and then resumed the conversation.  _Okay.  And we need to keep our heads.  We've determined that we're not dreaming, so this is real, and very, very weird, so we'll need to be open-minded.  Okay.  I slipped on ice in the middle of June.  You weren't even singed when you came out of your house the other day.  We've suddenly developed this telepathic link.  Well, there's a very logical explanation for all this.  
  
And that would be?  
  
Hey!  I said there was a logical explanation.  I never said I knew what that logical explanation was!  Cut me a break!  I'm as new at this as you are!  
Gwen?_

_Yeah?  
  
Let's keep this between us, okay?  
  
Why?  
  
Well, you heard what I was thinking about a scientific explanation, right?  
  
Yeah.  
  
Well, we can't think of a scientific explanation, and I seriously doubt the doctors are going to have one either.  And when the scientists can't think of a complete explanation for something.  
  
They do experiments, I finished for her, You're right.  We have to keep this a secret.  Deal?  
  
Deal! _ And with that, we shook hands and agreed that no one needed to know about the ice patch, or the incident in the gym, or the telepathic link.  The whole town already knew about the fire, which might complicate things, but we'd still try to keeps this whole thing quiet.  We didn't even tell our family.__


	6. Steam

            Everything went rather smoothly the rest of the week.  It defiantly helped that they had cancelled school, to check for structural instability.  Rina, and I were still working out some of the kinks in our telepathic link.  A.K.A. me accidentally letting it slip to Rina about how hot Randy really was.  Now, that was embarrassing.    The only thing that bothered me was how quiet it was.  I mean after all, those people in the gym had wanted something from Rina….

_Hey, Gwen! _Rina thought, _We haven't run into any of those weird people as of late.  Do you think they gave up?_

_Maybe…_ I replied uneasily.  

_Is something wrong?_

_As a matter of fact there is.  Doesn't it make you a little bit suspicious that those people haven't come back yet?  I mean they seemed pretty insistent in the gym on Monday.  I mean they obviously wanted something from you, and people who want things have a tendency to show up again later.  I have a bad feeling you know.  It's like in the movies when the hero goes. "It's quiet, too quiet", and then the monster jumps out at them.  Those people are probably just waiting for the right moment._

_Nah.  No way Gwen!  Don't be so paranoid!_

_Rina, I'm dead serious.  If anything should happen to you…_

_Okay, okay!  I get the point!_

_Just promise me you'll be careful. _She looked at me like I had ten heads. _ Promise me, Rina!_

_Yes, mother._

Finally, Saturday rolled around.  It was the big basketball game.  The Flairs (us) and our arch nemesis, The Hawks.  This time the Hawks were so going down.  So I put on my cheerleading uniform, and looked in the mirror.  Yuck, yellow and red.  The One thing I can't stand about cheerleading is the uniform.  Red and yellow looks horrible on me.  Oh, well.  Hey did I tell you all before that I was the head cheerleader?  I'm also the flyer.  Did you know that a flyer is ten times more likely to get injured during a football games then a player is?  So that to all you people who say cheerleading isn't a sport.  I practice just as often and as hard as Rina and Randy do for basketball.  Anyways, I came out of the bathroom with my hair done up in a French braid.  Rina and Randy were already dressed and outside the door. "These are so not my colors."  I wined.

"Cry me a river build me a bridge and get over it." Rina said, "Honestly, Those cheerleaders are like sooooo annoying right Randy?"

""Yeah, like totally," Randy began in a valley girl voice, " They're always complaining about things like their hair or like their clothes, or, like getting lipstick on their teeth, or, like, having split ends, or even like." He gasped "BROKEN NAILS!"  He pretended to faint.

"Like tell me about it.  They are sooooo, like, um air headed" Rina joined in again.  At that I had to punch her.  It wasn't really a punch just a playful one. 

" Well, at least we can like spell. Those basketball players are all like brawn and like no brain." I twirled my hair getting into the act.  

"Oh, yeah!" Rina said,  " I forgot cheerleaders know how to spell go."  She did a one of our cheers while she used her valley voice.  She was actually not a bad cheerleader but don't tell her I said that.  " G-O Go! Go Flares Go!"  

"Cut it out!"  I shoved her and heard and drew my hand back in pain.  When I had touched her there had been steam.  "Oww," I looked down at my hand to find first degree burns on them. _ I burnt my hand…_

_You burnt your hand?  On what? _ Rina thought.

_ On you!_

_What?!  That's impossible…_

            That's when I glanced up and noticed Randy looking at us funny. "Guys…. What just happened?" "I don't know." Rina replied.  " And I happen to be a girl."  I teased.  _That was just too weird._


	7. I KNEW IT

I KNEW IT

            Well, after Rina's startling revelation, we all piled in the car.  My mom was driving us.  Too bad she and dad couldn't stay to watch it though.  Anyways as it was we just barely made it with 2 minutes to spare.  Rina and Randy hurried over to catch the end of Couch Pinkerton's pep talk while I headed over to the cheerleaders.  "Sorry, I'm late girls."  I said.  "Oh, that's okay," said Jana, she is the other flyer.  "Your normally the first person here."

"Great!  So let's get started girls!"  With that I promptly snatched up the nearest pompoms, and turned to face the crowd.  "Alright, why don't we start it off with Scorching?  Ready, OKAY!  HERE THE FLARES COME DOWN THE COURT!  WATCH OUT WE'LL SCORCH YA!  IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO LOSE SOME POINTS!  WATCH OUT WE'LL SCORCH YA!  THE FLARES ARE HOTTER THEN THE SUN!  WATCH OUT WE'LL SCORCH YA!  YOU'D DO BEST, TURN TAIL AND RUN!  WATCH OUT WE'LL SCORCH YA!  GOOOOOO FLARES!!"  You like it?  I came up with that cheer.        

Anyways, that's when both the teams came out on the court and the real fun began!  It was a really close game.  The score was 8 to 8 and there was only 13 seconds left!  I turned to watch as Rina pulled away from the crowd.  "L-A-Y-U-P!  LAY-UP!  …"  "Ewwwwww, what's that smell?" said Jana.  I nervously glanced at Rina.  Oh, crap!  Her hands were glowing! I quickly ran over to Randy as Rina threw him the ball, her hair was on fire now.  Rina ran quickly from the gym ignoring all the yells from the crowd.  I glanced down at the ball, which was now deflating; there were burns on it in the shape of her hand.  _Rina!, Rina Answer me!  It was no use she was blocking me.  Oooooh man, I could feel my hands growing clammy.  Not, good.  Pushing my way through the crowd, I got out the door with Randy in toe._

"Rina!  Rina, Where are you?"  Randy was shouting as I tried still desperately to reach Rina through telepathy.  I came to halt as a boy with white hair stopped short.  "Whoa!"  I Tripped and started to fall over "Oof, owww."  Hey wait a second where'd he go he was there a second ago!  Well, that was rude of him.  Her tripped me and didn't even bother to catch me when I fell!  "Are you alright?"  Randy asked.  "Yeah, Fine!"  I smiled back at him.  "Good." Another voice said.  I glanced up to see a RATHER large boy.  He was about my age and, well, he was taller then I was too.  "Mind if we have a talk?" yet another boy stepped out from behind him.  This boy had brown hair.  He was average height and semi-muscular.  On hind sight he was rather cute, but at the time I was too preoccupied with trying to find Rina.  "I'm sorry, but now really isn't a good time."  I started to walk away only to find myself dangling in the air.  

"Hey, What the?"  The large one had me by the back my uniform, and was lifting me straight off the ground.  "I said I was sorry.  Now will you please put me..."  Just as I started to try to talk sense to this boy, Randy had gone straight into a full speed head butt.  "Ouch!"  I landed on my butt.  Randy helped me to my feet as the boy quickly recovered.  Randy started to pull me away when a gust of wind whipped up my skirt, and may I be the first to say thank-god for spankies.  That boy who had tripped me was now standing in front of us.  Randy too a swing and hit nothing but air.  The boy who had been standing in front of us was now on the side of us.  "Too, slow!" he said.  When Randy's punch had gone awry he had lost his balance and fallen down.  As I was helping him up a felt a tremor shake the floor.  Another earthquake?  I turned around to find the brown haired boy with his face all screwed up.  He kind of looked like he was constipated.  Anyways, he stomped his foot and another tremor rocked the walls.  The first thing that came to mind was Rina's memories.  Of course, these were the guys who had attacked her in the gym.  The next thought was "Run!"  I blotted with Randy taking a lead.  Once again the white haired boy took off after us.  It wasn't long before he was standing in front of me.  _RINA!  Come On Rina, I NEED YOU!_  It was no use.  Rina wasn't paying attention.  _Think, Gwen.  Come on your smart…The ICE.  _Suddenly an idea formed in my head.  Concentrating as hard as I could I felt my body go cold.  The sweat on my hands froze and I could feel a thin layer of ice coating my body.  This was gunna be hard to explain to anybody watching but it was too late.  I had only been trying to freeze his feet, which by the way worked, but in the process I had coated my body in ice.  I didn't stop to think about the consequences I just continued onward.  I had to find Rina.  I didn't even look back until I was in the woods.  At that point there was no way for them to have followed us.

I almost laughed as I thought about how they were still probably trying to thaw out their teammate's feet.  I stopped when I heard a muffled breathing.  Someone was panting nearby.  "Rina?" there was nothing but silence.  Then Randy piped in.  He hadn't bothered to look at me yet.  " Yo, Carrottop!  Come on out!  C'mon Rina!  I was just kiddin!  I promise I'll never call you Red again!  Just come out!"  "  Rina, Rina please.  Where are you?"  I shouted.  No answer came.  Oh, well it didn't make much of a difference.  Let's just say it's not hard to miss someone who's glowing.  "There you are Rina!" said Randy.  Then he looked at both of us.  "Whoa, have either of you looked in the mirror recently?"  "I KNOW.  I'm glowing."  Snapped Rina.  After what felt like forever of Randy looking back and forth between me and Rina, Rina finally had the sense to look up.  I don't think she was expecting to see me covered in ice.  That and when I tried to tell her what happened nothing would come out right.  Which I think only confused her more.  Finally, I was able to sort out some of what I was trying to think.  _Rina, what's going on?_

_You're asking me because?_

_I'm asking you because you're a lot more likely to know then Randy!_

  We couldn't help it we had to laugh.  It wasn't particularly funny but we needed something to break the mood.  That mood we had just broken was brought once again spiraling down by Randy.  "You...You guys are…you guys are m mu…"  Mutants,  mutants that's what he was trying to say.  No, it was more like freaks.


	8. It's been a long day

            Yes, a freak was more like it.  No body in Juniper liked mutants.  What would my friends think?  What would my parent's think!  Maybe…maybe they wouldn't want me to be their daughter anymore. A single tear rolled down and froze on my cheek.   After a while of these kinds of thoughts I managed to calm down and both Rina and I went back to looking normal.  All I had to do is keep telling myself, my parent's choose me.  Out of every other girl in the orphanage, they choose me.  Suddenly, I heard a twig snap.  Three kids came into the clearing we were in, two girls and a guy.  The oldest of the group was one of the girls.  She had red hair like Rina's, only her hair was combed very neatly.  She was really pretty.  The other girl had straight brown hair, which was pulled up in a ponytail.  The final member of their group was a boy with blue, shoulder length, hair.  They stopped and the redhead looked us up and down.  "Are you Katrina McGrath and Gwenevere Stilliano?" she asked.

"Yeah, and just who the hell are you?  And how do you know our names?"  Rina sneered.  _All will be explained.  _A man's voice sounded in my head.  _All I ask is that you listen to what we have to say. _ "Who, Who is that?"  I asked searching franticly for the voice.

_Relax girls.  Randy, it's alright.  We mean your sister and your friend no harm._

He didn't back off.  He stood in front of us protectively and said with a defiant tone in his voice, "Oh yeah?  Then why don't you come out where we can see you?!"  
Suddenly, a translucent image of a man in a wheelchair appeared in front of Randy and the three kids.  The man looked about forty years old and was bald.  _Since my wheel chair isn't forest friendly.  I'm afraid a mental image will have to do.  Is that better?_  
Randy didn't answer.  After a couple of moments of silence Rina spoke.  "Who are you?"  
_My name is Professor Charles Xavier.  I run a school for gifted youngsters.  These are a few of my students._  _Jean Grey,_ he gestured toward the redhead, _Kurt Wagner,_ the boy_, and Kitty Pryde_, the girl with the ponytail.  
They all smiled and waved at us in a friendly way.  There was another long pause, and then Randy spoke up.  "So...?"  
_These gifted youngsters all have one thing in common.  Do you know what that is?_  When no one answered, he decided to answer for himself_.  They're all mutants, like you._

"Look pal," Rina snarled, "I don't know why you're here, but I strongly suggest that you leave us alone, or."  _Please.  Rina, I only want to help you.  "Oh yeah?  Then why don't you find someone who needs to be helped, or better yet, someone who wants to be helped and help them?"  I could tell Rina was starting to get really annoyed with him.  _Rina, you don't understand!  You and your friend are in more danger than you realize.  If you'll just_...  "Well maybe we won't just.  C'mon guys!"  That's when Rina ran right through the image of Professor X.  Randy and I decided to go around it, though.  I followed the path Rina had shoved through Jean, Kurt, and Kitty roughly enough to keep them from stopping us, but not enough to hurt them.  As we were walking away, Kurt suddenly appeared in front of us.  "Vait a minute!  You guys, ze professor only vants to help. You don't understand. Zere is somezing you don't.ow!" Rina shoved him off the path into a thorn bush and broke into a run. Randy and Gwen were right behind._ Rina, they were trying to warn us about something.__

 _No kidding._ __

_What do you think it was? _

_I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. I just want to get home and forget that we ever saw them._

_ But what if… _

_Shut up, Gwen!_


	9. A Message Heard

            When we finally got back to my house, I barely had enough energy to climb the stairs.  Rina had made sure we ran all the way home.  Up in my room I collapsed on my bed and was asleep in seconds.  I had the dream again, parents being murdered by that man.  I reached the point where the metal started flying through the bush and woke up to hear Rina screaming again.  She was louder then she had ever been before, and she kept going for a long time.  It took at least 3 minutes before Ellen and I were able to wake her up.  _Rina, are you al..._  What?  She was blocking my out again.  I was worried sick about her and she wouldn't let me know what was wrong.  I had to choke back a couple of tears, before I could get myself under control.  The last thing I needed right now was to go iced again.  That's when the McGraths and Stillianos came running into the room.  "What, on Earth is going on?"  Asked Mr. McGrath.  When Rina didn't answer Mrs. McGrath placed a gentle hand on her forehead.  "O Rina, you have a terrible fever!  Are you feeling alright?"  "  You alright, Squirt?" asked Randy.  "Yeah, Yeah I'm fine!"  Rina stuttered out.  "You know me!  It was just a dream!"  "  Are you sure your alright?" asked Mrs. Stilliano.  "She's fine."  I chimed in, trying to sound easy going.  "Trust me.  I've known her for, well, a long time.  It was just another nightmare!"  "  Alright…" the parents consented and we all went downstairs for breakfast.

            Mrs. Stilliano made French toast and we all ate in silence.  "Boy, we must sure be hungry!"  Mr. Stilliano tried to make a joke.  At this Ellen just rolled her eyes and went back to eating.  The whole meal I kept trying to get Rina's attention, but she just ignored it.  I don't think she can realize how irritating her I'm too tough for anybody's help attitude can be.  I was about half-way through my last slice when there was a knock on the door.  Mrs. McGrath went to answer it.  The person knocked a second time.  "Coming!" said Mrs. McGrath.  I tried to peer around the corner to see who it was, but, unfortunately, I can't see through walls.  Finally, we heard the lock click as Mrs. McGrath opened the door.  "Hello, there.  I am Professor Charles Xavier.  Tell me, do Gwenevere Stilliano and Katrina McGrath live here?"  My head snapped back round so I could look at Rina.  I didn't need telepathy to tell Rina was thinking the same thing as me.  "We'd like to have a word with them, and you.  If that's alright?"  It was like the starting pistol in a race went off.  Rina, Randy, and I were out the door and headed for the woods once more.  To say the least Rina lost us shortly.  As Randy and I made it into the woods that boy with the blue hair appeared in front of us again.  "Vait, please!  You must lizen!  Se Proffezor has something very important to warn you about!"  At this point Randy had positioned himself in front of me and was getting ready to take this guy out.  Kurt just looked at me pleadingly "Katrina may be in danger!  Zer ist ein mutant named, Magneto!  Ze Prof. believez he iz after you two!"  "  Rina?  Rina's in trouble…" it was like a spark ignited in Randy's eyes "We've got to find here!"  Kurt looked up for a moment and then apologizing disappeared, muttering something about somebody named Sabertooth.  Randy was looking about wildly when I got an idea.  I had seen it in a movie once.  It was like looking through Rina's eyes, using telepathy.  "That log…that fallen tree…Randy I know where Rina is!"  Without another word we rushed off to the clearing from my dream.  When we reached the clearing Randy Ran in screaming.  "LEAVE MY SISTER ALONE!"

            I ran in after him only to stop dead in my tracks.  Those people…There were people in the clearing.  Standing there was the white haired boy, a woman with blue skin and…my eyes widened.  HIM, he was here.  I could recognize him vividly from my dreams.  That helmet, that flowing red cape…"YOU!"  I screamed and ran towards him.  Okay so it turned out not to be one of my brightest moves.  I could feel my body grow cold.  Whoever said rage was embodied in fire was wrong.  Mine was in ice!  My vision took on a light blue hue and within seconds I we all were pinned to tree separate trees.  Three metal bars had bent themselves around us.  Rina's tree was less then an arms breath away, but I couldn't have moved my arms if I wanted to.  "So nice of you to join us, Gwenevere."  Smirked the man in the cape.  I was simply beyond myself with rage, which is something only this man can manage.  "I'll kill you!  I'll kill you like you killed my parents!!!!"  I screamed.

"What?!"  Rina shrieked, "What do you just go around killing people for the fun of it?!"

The man gave Rina a very shocked look.  "You mean you don't know?"  He chuckled.

"What don't we know?"  Rina asked cautiously.  
He laughed again.  "Rina May Lehnsherr, I'd like to introduce you to Gwen Alice Lehnsherr, your sister."


	10. Sisters

"Excuse me, but I only have one sister," I retorted, "And you killed her when you killed my parents!"  At this point, Randy just looked totally lost.  
  
He looked at Rina.  "Did I now?  Well then, just so you don't go on completely hating me, I'll prove to you that that's not true, Gwen.  Close your eyes and remember your sister."  
  
"  I'm not doing anything you tell me to!"  
  
"  I don't think you're in much of a position to argue, now are you?"  
  
"  Let Rina and Randy go!  They have nothing to do with this!"  
  
"  Oh but that's where you're wrong, Gwenevere.  Randy may be rather insignificant right now, but Rina has just as much, if not more to do with this than you do.  You see, as I've already explained to your sister, I'm not here to harm you.  I'm here to give you answers."  
  
"Tell you what, why don't you just take your answers and shove them up your wazoo!  Because I don't want to have to see your butt-ugly face unless it's a part of your butt-ugly corpse!" 

"Well now!  That wasn't polite!" he said.  
  
"Deal with it!"  I snapped.  
  
"Come now, since we're all here together and no one's going anywhere for a while, why don't you just humor me.  It's not like you have anything else to do.  Close your eyes.  And you, Rina.  Gwen, I want you to remember everything you can possibly remember about your sister."  Neither of us was entirely sure why we obeyed, but we did.  
  
A picture slowly began to take shape in my mind, just as Magneto described it.  "Remember the blazing red hair, the pale face covered with freckles, those big, adorable brown eyes that could belong only to such a small carefree child.  Now imagine that little girl a year later.  She's grown up a bit, hasn't she?  Now five years later, and now ten.  Now thirteen.  See what she's become?  She's taller.  She is no longer a cute little toddler, but a beautiful young woman.  Her eyes are no longer wide with joy and innocence like that of a young girl, but have been filled with pain.  She bears many scars from her dark, shadowy past, and yet she lives on, too determined to let herself be destroyed by it.  Yes, she is hurt every now and then, but comes through stronger for it.  Do you have a clear picture in your mind of this person?"  
  
We did.  I watched as my sister grew up and lost her innocence.  
  
"Good.  Now open your eyes, and Gwen, look at Rina, and I guarantee you that all your doubts in my words will be gone."  
  
We each did so, and the expression on her face as she looked at me was burned into my memory forever.


	11. Family Tree

That's when Rina opened her mouth again.  "Excuse me, I hate to interrupt like this, but I was just wondering something."  
  
"Yes?" said Magneto.  
  
"Do you realize how sick and twisted you are?"  
  
"But I'm not finished yet, Katrina. I can tell just by looking at you that there are more questions you want answered, and that is not among them. Go ahead. Ask me anything you want about yourself, and I can answer it. I doubt anyone else can do that for you."  
  
"Why did you kill them?"  
  
He nodded as if to show approval. "That is a legitimate question. Your parents, Gale and Jeff, were a fine young couple who met under my employment."  
  
"They worked for you?" Rina interrupted.  No way, there is no way my parents would have done anything for this psycho.  
  
"Yes, Katrina, they did. That's how they met, and they fell in love and got married (something I didn't object to in the least) and they..."  
  
"What kind of work did they do for you?" I asked, still reufsing to believe they would have anything to do with this, this monster.  
  
"The same thing these fine people all do," he replied matter-of-factly, indicating all the freaks around us. "They were both mutants, like us. You father was known as Flytrap and your mother as Jetstream. Two of the best I had. They were more devoted to the cause of mutant liberation than any of the others, until after their wedding. Their priorities started to change, and they began focusing more on each other than the cause. Then one day, they just up and left. We did not know why and we were greatly upset by this. Of course, now we know. It was because Gale was pregnant with Gweneviere, and they did not want her to be exposed to this sort of life. They wanted to protect her. And soon they began to fight against us and protect the Homo sapiens. They had begun to share Charles's little fantasy of the Homo sapiens living in peace with and accepting the race of Homo superior, or mutants, as they're more commonly known. They had turned against me, and in doing so, they had turned against their own kind. We could not allow that. It took us three long years to track them down, and when we did, we were caught completely off guard that they had children! We tried to help you. We tried to take you in and care for you and raise you, but we."  
  
"You killed them for wanting to at least try and have peace? And for trying to protect their children? Tried to help us my eye! That's why we.or at least I was hospitalized the moment I got into town. You are so full of it! I can't believe that any relative of mine would work for someone like you!" Rina blurted.  
  
"Ah, speaking of which, there's something else I think you ought to know. Care to hear it?"

"Do we have a choice?"she spit out.  
  
"Aside from each other, you two do have one living relative remaining."  
  
Another relative…wait…my dream.  Mom called him Mgneto and he said…I gasped. "Really? Who?" Rina asked oblivious.  
  
"Your father had a brother."  
  
No, no I must be wrong.  I have no uncle.  "Yeah right!" I said, "If we had an uncle, then why didn't he come find us at the foster home?"  
  
"Well there's an easy question. He thought you were dead. And even if he didn't, would you really want him to have come looking for you? From what I see today, your uncle has become your enemy."


End file.
